Members of Team Nigeria to the just concluded World Youth Scrabble Championship in Sri Lanka have praised the Kwara State Government for footing their bill to the annual sporting showpiece of the mind game.
Team captain, Abdulqudus Olawaleyold newsmen, that they are grateful for the opportunity to represent Nigeria and equally supported by the Kwara State Government.
“I know that the government have so many projects to carry out and they don’t have enough money but still, they supported our dream of representing Nigeria.
We are really happy, and we hope to continue to make Kwara State and Nigeria proud,” Aliu said.Abdulqudus Olawale Aliu, a multiple National Youth Games gold medalist finished 23rd at the end of the World Youth Championship winning 14 games and dropping 10 just like Sufyan Boluwatife Olokojo but he had a higher cumulative point than Sufyan Olokojo.
Top scrabble stakeholders believe that jetlagged and hectic traveling schedule is responsible for the games the duo lost at the Championship.
On his part, Olokojo Boluwatife Sufyan, explained that the Championship helped them to learn a lot about the game and he believes that come 2025, they will fight for a podium finish.
“We want to thank our governor for supporting us, we pray Allah continue to bless his and we promise to do better in other international Championships,” the double gold medalist at the last National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State stated.Out of the 136 players from 22 countries, Sufyan Boluwatife Olokojo, ended the competition in the 28th position.
In a related development, the Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), has described the outing of Team Nigeria at the World Youth Scrabble Championship as impressive and commendable.
The President of Nigeria Scrabble Federation, Engineer Toke Aka, said, these kids are the future of the game of words not only in Nigeria but the World.
“I can tell you that, these young boys and girls can take on any Masters category player without any form of fear, some of the players you saw at the World Youth Championship have actually beating some of us in the past,” Aka explained.
The NSF President also praised the Kwara State Government for supporting the Team despite the hash economic situation in the country.
It’s imperative to state the Kwara State Government has been developing the sporting sector of its economy in the last five years.
